The Michigan Merit Exam is administered each spring, and consists of three components:
- College Board SAT® with Essay Reading & Writing and Math
- Employability Skills Assessment
- M-STEP Science and Social Studies
Michigan is entering a new phase in career readiness testing. As part of the state’s legislative requirement to assess employability skills, the ACT WorkKeys exam is being replaced by the WIN Work Readiness Assessment beginning this spring. At the most recent Office of Educational Assessment and Accountability (OEAA) Advisory Committee meeting, Phoebe Gohs from MDE provided an overview of what schools can expect as the new system rolls out.
The WIN assessment measures student readiness in three core areas:
- Work Ready Reading
- Work Ready Math
- Work Ready Data
Each test is allotted 60 minutes, though students may finish early they cannot progress to the next test. The testing window runs April 6–May 1. It is a fixed form test with multiple test forms. Unlike other MME components there is no seating chart, spacing or same direction requirements.
- Schools may test any day during school hours within the window.
- Tests can be administered in any order (Math, Reading, Data).
- Tests can be administered individually or in a block of multiple assessments at the district’s discretion.
- Make-up testing can happen at any time during the window.
- Assessments are online only, except for students approved for paper-based accommodations (Braille, Large Print, Spanish, etc.).
A Different Testing Experience
Unlike College Board assessments, WIN is structured more like M-STEP in terms of administration and flexibility. All management occurs within the Career Readiness System (CRS)—the platform schools will use to assign accommodations, activate test sessions, issue student test tickets, and monitor completion.
Students access tools such as calculators and highlighters within the platform, along with accommodations like SpeechStream (text-to-speech) and Spanish-language versions. Scores are released after students finish all three components. It is important to note the calculator available to students is a four function device which does not follow order of operations as many students are accustomed to. You may not provide students with a calculator that is more than a four function device.
Key Administrative Differences
- Everything is managed in the Career Readiness System (CRS), not via College Board-style accommodations requests.
- Accommodations (including extended time, SpeechStream, Spanish, ASL) are assigned directly in CRS.
- Test tickets allow students to access tutorials, launch tests, and later view results.
- The optional test tutorials can only be accessed using the student test ticket on the day of the first assessment. It was recommended that districts build in an extra thirty minutes to the first test window to allow students to complete the tutorial prior to launching the first assessment.
Current System Limitations
Gohs acknowledged several challenges districts are likely to encounter during implementation:
- *Accommodations must currently be assigned student-by-student.
- **Spanish support requires a temporary manual workaround.
- The monitoring dashboard becomes sluggish with more than 30 students (though student testing is unaffected).
* There is not a batch upload function available. Accommodations do not require approval, they need to be aligned with a student’s IEP or 504 Plan.
**Test administrators need to be aware there is a button to translate the assessment into Spanish (the only language available) in the Assessment Assignment Grid and it can only be activated on testing day.
Enhancements planned for 2027 include batch accommodation assignments, clearer terminology across the platform and expanded access to post-test credentials.
Field Feedback and Concerns
Committee members raised concerns familiar to many districts:
- Uncertainty about the value and industry recognition of WIN credentials compared to WorkKeys
- Limited early training for staff
- *Added time for student practice tutorials
- The complexity of juggling multiple testing platforms during the state assessment window
* Student practice sets are available but they can only be accessed by students the day of the assessment.
Gohs noted that some manufacturing employers in Michigan do recognize WIN credentials. She also emphasized that the transition is ongoing, and feedback from educators is actively shaping improvements.
Support for Districts
To support implementation, WIN and MDE have made several resources available:
- The WIN Resource Center (videos, guides, walkthroughs)
- Weekly office hours and webinars
- Documentation on accommodations, technical requirements, and credential alignment with occupational job zones
As Michigan moves into its first statewide administration of WIN, the message from the Advisory Committee was clear: the system is still evolving, but improvements are in progress—and educator feedback is driving many of the next steps.
“What the ‘Work Certification’ Actually Is” Summary: The “work certification” is the National Work Readiness Credential – Academic Skills, earned when students complete WIN’s Work Ready Math, Reading, and Data assessments. It verifies essential workplace abilities: solving job-related math problems, comprehending on-the-job documents, and interpreting real-world data. Recognized nationally and aligned to O*NET Job Zones, the credential signals readiness for varying job complexities (Levels 2–5). Students can share a digital badge with employers. Schools can boost its value by promoting it like other certifications, connecting levels to regional careers, integrating it into résumés, engaging employers, and celebrating credential earners. CLICK ANYWHERE IN THIS PARAGRAPH TO SEE THE FULL DESCRIPTION OF “What the ‘Work Certification’ Actually Is.”
✅ What the “Work Certification” Actually Is
- When students complete the three core WIN assessments — Work Ready Math, Work Ready Reading, and Work Ready Data — they earn the National Work Readiness Credential – Academic Skills. WIN Learning+2Michigan+2 based on the O*Net Job Zones Framework.
What the Credential Represents
Work Ready Math (Skills for Levels 2–5)
Students demonstrate the ability to:
- Solve multi-step, multi-operation workplace problems (production rates, assembly calculations, order quantities).
- Convert units and apply measurement skills.
- Use multiple pieces of data to make decisions.
- Calculate workplace-relevant information such as cost, discounts or dimensions.
Work Ready Reading (Skills for Levels 2–5)
Students demonstrate the ability to:
- Read and comprehend workplace documents such as memos, procedures, schedules, manuals and charts.
- Identify purpose, main idea and implied details.
- Apply instructions and procedural steps.
- Connect information across moderately complex documents.
Work Ready Data (Skills for Levels 2–5)
Students demonstrate the ability to:
- Interpret, compare, and draw conclusions from charts, tables, and graphs.
- Identify trends and patterns using real workplace data sets.
- Integrate multiple sources of data to make predictions or decisions.
- Understand graphical representations commonly used in business and industry.
- The credential is nationally recognized (endorsed by National Work Readiness Council) and portable across states and employment sectors. NWRC+2WIN Learning+2
- There are achievement levels (2, 3, 4, 5) tied to the credential. The level reflects readiness for a corresponding range of job zones, based on the framework used by the O*NET OnLine / Job Zones model. WIN Learning+1
Achievement Levels (2–5)
- The overall credential level is based on the lowest of the three scores.
- Each level corresponds to preparation for a specific O*NET Job Zone, showing employers the complexity of tasks a student is ready for.
- Higher levels indicate readiness for jobs that require more advanced math, literacy and data interpretation.
Students receive a digital version of the credential — a “badge/credential” they can share online (resume, portfolio, LinkedIn, etc.) to signal employability skills to employers.
The “work certification” isn’t just a score — it’s a formal, recognized credential designed to validate that a graduate possesses foundational workplace skills (math, reading, data interpretation) that many employers seek. Because the credential is aligned to a national framework (O*NET Job Zones) and endorsed nationally, it has the potential to carry weight with employers beyond Michigan.
How Principals Can Build Value
Here are practical ways to reinforce relevance:
Celebrate Credential Earners
Public recognition (morning announcements, certificates, senior awards) reinforces value for future classes.
Promote the Credential in Career Lessons or Advisory
Students understand certifications. Frame WIN like ServSafe, OSHA-10, Microsoft Office, CPR or other CTE credentials.
Connect WIN Levels to Real Regional Jobs
Show students how certain WIN levels correspond to the skills needed in local industries (manufacturing, logistics, trades, healthcare support).
Encourage Counselors to Integrate It into Résumés & Portfolios
Adding the digital badge immediately increases perceived value.
Engage Local Employers
Share a simple one-page explainer with employers and invite them to ask applicants whether they earned the credential.
Employer recognition grows only when schools promote it.